LAKEWOOD | The state championship wasn’t going to get away from Eaglecrest for a second straight season.
Three members of the Raptors’ 800 meter sprint medley relay team that suffered an agonizing defeat in the event at last season’s Class 5A state meet — seniors Tashay Brown, Olatumininu Olatipo and Ashley Taurchini — got their redemption on Friday Jefferson County Stadium.
The veteran trio — plus junior Tori Coombe, who replaced graduated Ashley Windom — fended off another late challenge from Denver East, the team that beat it last season, and powered across the finish line in 1 minute, 44.19 seconds to nail down the elusive title.
Olatipo and Coombe ran the opening two 100 meter legs of the race and turned it over to Brown, who expanded the Raptors’ lead and gave Taurchini a nice cushion for the 400 meter leg. Taurchini made sure she didn’t get caught from behind and finished first by 1 1/2 seconds.
The same Eaglecrest team, with Deme McDowell running a leg instead of Coombe, managed to finish third in the 4×200 meter relay to finish in front of other Aurora finalists Cherokee Trail (5th) and Grandview (9th).
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2014 CLASS 5A GIRLS STATE TRACK MEET
At Jefferson County Stadium
Team scores (through 9 events): 1. Fort Collins 51 points; 2. Fountain-Fort Carson 26; 3. Cherry Creek 25; T4. Highlands Ranch 18; T4. Denver East 18; 6. Loveland 17.5; T7. EAGLECREST 17; T7. Monarch 17; T7. Pine Creek 17; 10. Fairview 16.5; T11. Rampart 16; T11. ThunderRidge 16; 13. Arvada West 15; 14. Poudre 14; 15. Brighton 13; T16. CHEROKEE TRAIL 12; T16. Fossil Ridge 12; 18. Rocky Mountain 11; 19. Castle View 10.5; T20. George Washington 10; T20. Arapahoe 10; T20. Horizon 10; 23. Legend 8; T24. Boulder 6.5; T24. Lakewood 6.5; 26. Standley Lake 5; 27. Rock Canyon 4; 28. SMOKY HILL 3.5; T29. Pomona 3; T29. Mountain Vista 3; 31. GRANDVIEW 1
CLASS 5A FINALS (May 16)
800 meter run: 1. Jordyn Colter (Cherry Creek), 2 minutes, 9.16 seconds; 2. Macy Kruetz (Highlands Ranch), 2:10.23; 3. Catherine Liggett (Legend), 2:13.69; 4. Lauren Gregory (Fort Collins), 2:14.26; 5. Kamryn Hart (ThunderRidge), 2:15.17; 6. Megan Mooney (Horizon), 2:16.07; 7. Elissa Mann (Monarch), 2:16.39; 8. Darby Gilfillan (George Washington), 2:16.56; 9. Claire Green (Monarch), 2:17.79
4×200 meter relay: 1. Pine Creek, 1 minute, 37.57 seconds (Colorado prep record, 5A state meet record); 2. Fountain-Fort Carson, 1:39.75; 3. EAGLECREST, 1:40.08; 4. Rocky Mountain, 1:40.27; 5. CHEROKEE TRAIL, 1:41.04; 6. Boulder, 1:43.34; 7. Loveland, 1:43.80; 8. Highlands Ranch, 1:45.38; 9. GRANDVIEW, 1:45.75
800 meter sprint medley relay: 1. EAGLECREST (Omotuniminu Olatipo, Tori Coombe, Tashay Brown, Alicia Taurchini), 1 minute, 44.19 seconds; 2. Denver East, 1:45.68; 3. Fort Collins, 1:45.98; 4. Arapahoe, 1:48.55; 5. Fossil Ridge, 1:48.80; 6. Poudre, 1:49.03; 7. Pine Creek, 1:50.09; 8. Highlands Ranch, 1:51.66; Mountain Range DNS
High jump: 1. Carly Paul (Poudre), 5 feet, 8 inches; 2. Rajon O’Quinn (Fountain-Fort Carson), 5-8; 3. Ashlyn Hare (Rampart), 5-8; 4. Katelyn Ellis (Brighton), 5-5; 5. Hanna Davis (Standley Lake), 5-3; 6. Kiara Kearney (Rampart), 5-3; T7. Heather Betz (Fairview), 5-1; T7. Ashley Krawczuk (Loveland), 5-1; T9. Audrey Hogenkamp (Lakewood), 5-1; T9. Hailey Hampson (Boulder), 5-1; Aurora result: T11. Kellyn Toole (Regis Jesuit), 4-11
200 meter Paralympics Special: 1. INTAHNTEA HOPSON (HINKLEY), 33.48 seconds; 2. Brittany Kane (Brighton), 33.89; 3. Jackie Barlow (Sierra), 39.37; 4. LACEY HENDERSON (UNATTACHED), 40.21; 5. Torey Hall (Conifer), 40.77
